Page 41 of Passing Ships

Avie cuts her eyes to me.

“You’re so full of shit. You say you don’t believe in love but you literally pushed me into Sebastian’s arms.”

“Yeah, and me into Wade’s,” Eden agrees.

“Well, Sebastian was your Baby Daddy and Wade was a Hot Daddy, so they don’t count. Besides, just because I don’t believe in true love for me doesn’t mean I can’t believe in it for you guys,” I say.

Avie shakes her head.

“Like I said, one day some guy’s going to come along and sweep you off your feet. Even if he has to do it with you kicking and screaming.”

“And eventually, you won’t want to fight it because it’ll be everything you never knew you needed,” Eden adds.

“Ugh,” I groan as I toss a scowl over my shoulder at her. “Too much.”

“Yeah, super sappy,” Avie agrees, and then turns her narrowed eyes at me.

“What?”

“That’s twice,” she says, throwing two fingers into my face.

“Twice?”

“Yes. First, you didn’t tell me about your and Lennon’s first sexcapade. And second, I found out that you and Anson were never really into each other. You’re coming seriously close to losing your best-friend title, missy.”

“Jeez, pulling out the missy?” I tease.

“Yes, missy, it’s not cool at all. You’d be pissed, too, if the shoe were on the other foot.”

She’s right. I’d be livid if she was hiding stuff from me.

“You’ve been a little preoccupied with your own love life lately. I didn’t think you were paying close attention to mine.”

“Obviously, I wasn’t. Is there anything else?” she asks.

“Nope. You’ve pulled all my dirty little secrets out of me,” I declare.

“Good.”

“So, you’re cool with this whole thing now? Because if you’re not, I’ll put the brakes on it right now.”

Avie shakes her head. “Liar.”

“I will.”

She glares at me. “I saw you two last night and this morning. The sexual tension was so thick that you could choke on it. You wouldn’t last twenty-four hours.”

“I’d try at least,” I huff.

“No. You’re both adults. Do whatever you want. Just … whatever happens, promise me you’ll try to remain friends. Leia can’t have her favorite auntie and uncle hating each other.”

“Promise.”

Amiya

We walk inside Fizzy Kate’s—an upscale café, famous for its champagne cocktails—forty-five minutes late and are escorted to a table in the back of the restaurant, where Avie’s mother and cousins, as well as Sebastian’s mother and grandmother, are seated.

“Glad you could join us, ladies,” Naomie says as we approach.

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